The Finale

I want say a few quick thoughts on the couples that got engaged and of course the one that didn’t.

Clay and Nicole

I wasn’t surprised they didn’t end up together at the end of the season. But honestly I thought it would be Clay completely ending it and not Nicole. It’s funny because Nicole was on our podcast a few weeks back and the way she spoke about Clay was very complimentary.

Demi and Kristian

I cried my eyes out watching them! I hung on every single word and felt so much love between the two of them. I know a lot of people have mixed feelings or are angry about the fact that Kristian was able to come to Paradise when she wasn’t originally on the show. And I get that frustration. I do. But I think the bigger picture here is what their relationship is doing for so many around the world is much more important. I’m so happy for them! They are the real deal. I can’t wait to continue to watch their love story unfolding!

Hannah and Dylan

Of course, I’m super happy for Hannah and Dylan because they are just such a darling and sweet little couple! I have no doubt that they are in this for the long haul. And I can’t wait to see their cute little babies one day!

A few notes about the reunion…

JPJ

What a disappointment. I’ve gone back-and-forth on my feelings about JPJ so much this season because I think I just desperately want to like him! Because there’s so many great sides and things about him! But the fact that he didn’t apologize to Krystal and Chris when he was given the opportunity is so disheartening. I got to talk to Krystal about this because she helped me cohost the podcast while Rachel was out on her honeymoon.

The day that Krystal co-hosted with me, JPJ had posted a public apology to Chris and Krystal on his Instagram page. However, I asked her right then and there if he had ever reached out to her directly to apologize and she said he didn’t. So it seems pretty obvious to me that that Instagram post was just about saving face in front of the people that follow him and not actually apologizing to Chris and Krystal. I’m bummed about his actions. He was given the perfect opportunity to apologize and he just didn’t.

That said I LOVE him with Tayshia and I am so happy for them! I am just so confused. What are your thoughts on this?

Chris and Katie’s Relationship

Katie and Chris’s relationship was definitely concerning. I really felt for Katie because you can tell that she so badly wants to be loved by Chris. And she so badly wants to get any sort of emotion out of him and the only emotion it seems like she is getting is his anger. That said, I will say that I do kind of feel like she blindsided him at the reunion. And that’s just not really OK. The whole point of a relationship is having open communication and it seems like the conversation they had with Chris should’ve been bad in private. But then again maybe she’s tried to get him to talk about it in private and can’t.

That said, I do feel like we saw more of the real Chris when we saw them talk outside of the studio. I do think he had a right to be angry. But I also think that side of him is this the side that he hides when on television. What did you guys think? How did you feel about it? I feel weird even giving my opinion because there’s so much we don’t know, that it’s almost impossible for anyone to give an accurate assessment of the relationship. And like I always say, only people that know anything about what’s really going on in the relationship are the two people that are in that relationship.

Our next Bachelor is… Peter!

You guys know I’ve been pulling for Peter to be the Bachelor for quite some time now. I absolutely adore Peter and feel like he is going to be one of the best Bachelors ever! However, I got thinking about why I felt that way. And I realized after talking with my friend and former Bachelorette, Rachel, that it’s because Peter is a lot like and reminds me so much of Ben Higgins. And I adore Ben Higgins!

I don’t like to pick favorites but I could definitely make a strong argument for the reasons why I think Ben is one of the best Bachelors we’ve ever had. And his relationship didn’t work out from the show! But I strongly believe that whether or not a relationship works out from the show is not a good enough reason to say whether or not someone was a good Bachelor or not. I think Ben did everything in his power to find love and it just didn’t work out. Anyway, I’m getting sidetracked. Peter reminds me a lot of Ben and I think that’s why I’m so excited about him! But in that same breath, maybe that’s not a good thing.

After talking to Rachel about it, I started to look at things differently. We’ve seen Peter as the Bachelor before. And I do feel like it’s time for the franchise to switch things up. Rachel put it this way, and I really appreciated what she said, the Bachelor has been showing us in the past few seasons that they aren’t scared to switch things up! They let Kristian come to Paradise even though she wasn’t a past cast member. They let Colton go after Cassie. They brought Arie back to be the Bachelor from many seasons ago. So why don’t they change things up now?

I get that maybe Peter was the strongest choice for them from this past season. And I know a lot of people are pulling for Mike. I for one was not pulling for Mike. Not because I don’t think Mike is a great guy. I absolutely do! But I just never connected with him for some reason. I think that’s because the show didn’t show us enough of him. And I’m sure there’s a reason for that. Because the show knows what they’re doing. But whatever the reason we just didn’t see much of him.

So how cool would it be, and again I’m stealing all this from Rachel so I want to give her credit, if the show went and did an open casting call and interviewed a diverse group of men to find the absolute best candidate and switch things up! It’s funny because you guys as viewers had said you want the franchise to bring in somebody new season after season and I’ve always argued that the show doesn’t do that because they have a formula that works. But I don’t argue that anymore! I think the show and producers now know that switching up the formula totally works! So I kinda wish they did that this season

January Can’t Come Soon Enough!

And there we have it! While I am somewhat happy that I will be getting back 4 hours of my week since I have been so busy, I am also really sad that this season is over! It feels so bittersweet. What do you think of all the couples? I am so happy for everyone, and I hope it works out for all of them! And now the wait begins… January 4th!

Outfits

I’m kinda sad that this is the last week that I will be hunting down outfits for the cast! I’ve had a blast finding your favorite pieces from each episode! PS. Demi’s floral dress is 50% off from Nordstrom, but there are only smalls left!

DEMI

 1. FLORAL DRESS | 2. YELLOW FINALE DRESS

KRISTINA

 1. BLUSH LACE DRESS | 2. ACRYLIC HEELS

CAELYNN

 WHITE STRAPLESS DRESS

KATIE

  BLACK SEQUIN DRESS

HANNAH

1. LIGHT BLUE DRESS | 2. HER DRESS IN CORAL

TAYSHIA

$14 WHITE DRESS

KRYSTAL

 LACE JUMPSUIT IN BLACK AND WHITE

If you didn’t see my post yesterday, or if you don’t follow me on instagram, yesterday was my birthday! I had the best weekend and birthday spending time with Kevin, and the kiddos, and some friends!

In my post yesterday, I talked about the super amazingly thoughtful thing that Kevin did for my birthday. He knows that I don’t like when he spends a lot of money on birthdays, so he really thought outside the box! He did Mommy and Me outfits for me and Molly from Nordstrom – that’s because he knows that I’m always looking for content for my blog and he knew I had a Nordstrom post to write (I work with them) !!! Honestly, I don’t think of things that thoughtful for him! He just really listens and cares about me and cares about what’s going to make my life easier and I love him so much!

Given that he bought this so I would have something to write about, I almost saved these dresses to do an entire other blog post. But I decided that the gesture was just so thoughtful that I wanted to share them now. As soon as Molly saw that we had matching dresses, she immediately wanted to put them on. Well actually, she wanted to wear my dress and she wanted me to wear her dress. Ha! Now that would’ve made for some interesting pictures.

Also, I’ve got to give Kevin major props for getting mommy and me matching dresses that aren’t super matchy matchy. I feel like that was very smart of him. When I think of mommy and me, I always think of things that match exactly. But I actually kind of think it’s cool that he didn’t go so matchy matchy with these. Well done babe! He also nailed getting me outfits to write about for my blog that are affordable! My dress is under $80 and Molly’s is $35!

1. ALI’S HAIR PINS | 2. ALI’S DRESS | 3. MOLLY’S DRESS | 4. MOLLY’S COWBOY BOOTS

And I forgot to mention one of my favorite things he did! I casually mentioned the week before at the mall that Molly needed a new pair of cowboy boots because her other ones were too small for her and he went out and got her a pair! Again husband of the year award! And I have to say these new ones are slightly different than her old ones, but I think I may like them even more! I like that they’re a taller boot than her other pair that she’s wearing in the photos above. I hope she gets another year and a half or more out of these like she did the others! And I’m sure she would get even more years out of them if toddler’s feet didn’t grow so dang fast!

1. ALI’S HAIR PINS | 2. ALI’S DRESS | 3. MOLLY’S DRESS | 4. MOLLY’S COWBOY BOOTS

Aren’t they so adorable? I seriously cannot thank him enough for this gesture of thoughtfulness. He is the BEST! I love you, Kevin!

Here’s a photo of the kids singing me happy birthday! Kevin also got them dressed in these super cute outfits. He really just blew my mind this year!! And he continues to everyday!

1. SWEATER| 2. JEANS | 3. MOLLY’S TOP | 4.MOLLY’S SKIRT | 5. TODDLER COWBOY BOOTS

Thanks so much for coming by my finale BIP blog post of the season! It’s been so fun recapping and chatting with you!

The post Bachelor in Paradise Finale and Reunion appeared first on Ali Manno (Fedotowsky).

1. NECKLACE | 2. SWEATER TANK | 3. JEANS FOR $9

Hannah and Dylan

I will be the first admit that I was wrong about Hannah and Dylan. At the beginning of the season when he was being so cheesy with her, I thought there’s no way on this planet that she was going to fall for him. But she did! And I was wrong. And I’m so glad I was. Because they are just a darling couple! What I love so much about Bachelor in Paradise is that when people say I love you on the show, they mean it. Whereas on the Bachelor and the Bachelorette, I never think those “I love you’s” are genuine. And that’s the truth. You just don’t know the person well enough in my opinion.

I say this all the time but I’ll say it again, to know someone is to love someone. And you don’t really get to know people on the Bachelor or the Bachelorette. You spend less than 72 hours total with them from when you meet them to when you get engaged. Rachel Lindsay, who I do the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast with, even thinks it’s closer to 48 hours. And if you ask couples who have gotten married from the show, many of them, if not all of them, will say that they actually fell in love after the show. But this is what I love about paradise. The couple spends so much time together, that they actually get to know one another. It’s why the success rate of the show is so much better than the Bachelor or the Bachelorette.

So when Dylan and Hannah told each other that they loved each other it felt so real. It was real! And I love seeing those real moments on the show.

Connor and Whitney

At first I thought the whole Connor leaving and then Whitney showing up two seconds later was really stupid because the producers obviously could have stopped that. They completely control when someone walks down the steps and they definitely could’ve told Connor he had to wait to leave for another hour. And also, it’s just so late in the game that introducing new people at this point seems silly.

So as I was watching it play out I just thought it was a little bit of nonsense. But then when the whole scenario played out and when she went to his hotel it actually seemed very romantic. I’m happy for them!

Rose Ceremony

I wanna spend the rest of the blog focusing thing on the more serious couples, but I will say I thought it was kind of weird that Bri accepted Matt Donald’s rose and that Angela and Chase gave each other a rose. I just don’t understand why they exchange roses and then broke up the next day. Do you guys? I feel like Chris Harrison made it clear that accepting that rose was a very serious step. And then the next day all of a sudden became even more serious?

I get that Chris Harrison came in and told them that they needed to be ready to take the next step as a couple. Did they realize there’s only a couple days left to Paradise at the rose ceremony? I just thought it was weird that some of the couples that have only been there for a few days or a week or two gave each other roses.

And why the heck did Matt give his rose to Bri and not Sydney? He even said that Bri was the supermodel and he had a better conversation with Sydney. I feel bad for Matt cause I just think he’s super inexperienced with relationships and he’s choosing like a 12-year-old boy instead of a grown man. He’s got a lot of growing and learning to do – I think we can all agree on that. And good for Bri for calling him out on only seeing her physical appearance and not what’s on the inside. I love that she said that! She has so much MORE to offer than just her looks.

Tayshia and JPJ

Never in 1 million years did I think I would get so emotional about the relationship! But watching them talk to each other before they said goodbye really showed how much admiration and love they have for each other. I really teared up! I guess what I thought confusing is it was so obvious that she really cared for him. So why did she feel the need to completely break it off with him? Is that because of the pressure of the show? Like, I get that she shouldn’t have to feel ready to get engaged to him, but it seems pretty obvious that in the real world she might still date him. Right? Or maybe not? I’m really interested to hear what she has to say the reunion special.

Demi and Kristian

What can I say about the relationship other than I really admire it. They had incredible communication and understanding of one another. Every time Kristiann talks she’s putting Demi’s feelings first. And vice versa. I feel like whenever Demi is talking, she’s talking about how it’s not fair to Kristian that she’s having a hard time opening up. I just love that they always put the other one first. How awesome would it be if they got engaged this season?! I’m really rooting for them!

Chris and Katie

I think they both seem like great people and I hope they both find the person they’re meant to spend their life with, but something in me says it’s not going to be each other. Are you feeling that way too? If they do end up getting engaged, then I am so happy for them!!!

Who Will Get Engaged?

OK so now here begs the question, what couples do you think you’re going to get engaged at the end of the season? Right now for me, the only two that I think will get engaged are Demi and Kristian and also Hannah and Dylan. Hannah and Dylan are pretty obvious at this point, I think. And do you think there’s a chance JPJ is actually proposing to Tayshia at the reunion special? I have a feeling he’s not and he’s doing something else silly but I’m dying to know! And I am so so so so so excited that we are finally going to find out who the next Bachelor! Who do you guys think it’s going to be? I really think it’s going to be Peter but I feel like we’ve been so surprised in the past that I just don’t know. Let’s discuss everything below! Before we do, I have to tell you about the giveaway on my blog right now!

Giveaway!!!!

I am so excited to share that when kidpik saw the reaction to my curated box on their site, they were so excited that they offered for me to GIVE ONE AWAY to one of you! All you have to do to enter is go to my kidpik blog post and leave a comment about YOUR little girl’s style (or a little girl you want to gift it to!). Share anything you want and you are entered to win!!!!! Just make sure you leave the comment on the kidpik post, not this BIP one Click HERE to go to that post. So cool that they offered to do this today! It wasn’t planned at all! Molly’s dress below is from kidpik. So cute right?!?!

And if you don’t win you can buy my curated box! It is normally $95 but with my code AliLuvskidpik you get $25 off so it’s only $70!!! And that is for 7 mix and match outfits PLUS shoes! An insanely good deal! Plus, they are all my favorite kidpik pieces on Molly.

Weekly Outfit Recap

If you’ve been following along all season, you know that I like to end my posts with outfits from Bachelor in Paradise cast members, and give you a recap of my outfits from the past week. I’m still hunting down a few more outfits from today’s episode, but I will update that right here soon!

In a few days I am going to be blogging about a pair of brown suede boots that I recently got, and 5 totally different ways to wear them! I decided that I am going to share one of the looks with you today as a sneak peek!

I feel like this outfit is perfect for the weather here in California right now! It’s almost fall! And with the welcome of PSL’s, we also want to feel fallish and dress in warmer tones and outfits, but the air is still slightly on the warm side. That’s where an adorable white tank comes in! Loose white tanks like this can be easily paired with jeans, and they are so flattering! Adding boots to this look takes it from summer to fall, which is key!

 1. WHITE TANK | 2. RIPPED JEANS | 3.  BORN ELBE BOOTS

My exact tank is sold out, but I found one that is super similar that I think you guys will love! Both crepe and chiffon camisole tanks are great to complete this look, and the one that I found has both! I love that the chiffon lines the top hemline!

These ripped jeans are only $17…and I LOVE THEM! They are so flattering! There is the perfect amount of tearing in just the right spots. Sometimes you get ripped jeans and the tearing is just a bit too much, but these are perfect. I am normally a size 28 and these are a size 11 for reference when you are ordering! Check out the reviews on the site and you will see how much people love them!

When we were taking these photos, my photographer, Ashley, thought that I was wearing a pair of jeans that she has at home… that are over $250! I think this is the pair that she was talking about – this brand has a ton of ripped jeans so might be slightly different. But WOW, I would say that this is a pretty close dupe. And at $240 less… count me in!

Thanks for visiting my Bachelor in Paradise post, I can’t wait to see who is going to end up engaged! Eeep.

The post Bachelor in Paradise – Who will get engaged?! appeared first on Ali Manno (Fedotowsky).

Caelynn and Dean Forever and Ever

Oh my gosh, I could’ve watched an entire episode about Caelynn and Dean. In fact, when they were driving away in the car together talking about sleeping in his van, I honestly wish the cameras just stayed on them and this turned into a reality show about their life together. I know Caelynn seemed a little turned off when he talked about cooking ramen in the van, but to me that sounds like a fabulous vacation! Ha!

You guys know how much I love my Ramen. But in all seriousness, I just love them together! I think him coming back is ridiculously romantic and like I said in my blog last week I think it takes the right person to turn a notorious Bachelor into a committed man. I think Caeylnn could be that girl for Dean. If they end up working out and I kind of feel like they will, I hope we get a reality show about their life because I will be a loyal viewer! Ha!

Connor

All that said, I did feel bad for Conner. What Connor said is so true. Caelynn really did downplay her relationship with Dean and she didn’t say sorry to Connor. All of that was wrong and I am sure Caelynn felt bad watching it back. I think she got wrapped up in the romantic gesture that Dean did and so did I! I think we all did.

To be completely honest, I didn’t even really think twice about Connor until we saw him break down and talk about how hurtful it was to him. And then I even felt like a jerk myself for not thinking about him more. I’m not mad at Caelynn. I genuinely think she’ll feel bad about how the situation played out when she watches it back. And I stand by the notion that I think Caelynn made the right choice because I think Dean is the one for her. But Connor really did get screwed over and I really do feel badly for him.

Chris and Katie

I’m curious to know what you guys think, but I don’t think there’s anyway possible way they are getting engaged. I’m not even sure they’re gonna leave Paradise as a couple. And I don’t really have a ton to say about it other than that. What are you guys thinking?

Demi and Kristian

I feel like it’s hard for me to even say more about the situation than mention the fact that I was utterly glued to my TV watching every moment and every word spoken between them. Not only was I crying like a baby, but I was just so impressed with the relationship and how clearly they’re able to communicate with each other.

I truly cannot imagine being Demi and coming out in such a public way for so many people to judge. I know what it’s like to be on the show and for people to rip you apart for who you are and with so much hate in this world, I can only imagine what Demi’s going through. I stand by her. Both her and Kristian. And that’s all I really have to say about the situation. Honestly, I can’t say more because I can’t see through my tears right now. I write these blog while watching the episodes.

Tayshia and JPJ

So we’re on the same page that there’s no way Tayshia and JPJ are going to end up together. In fact, Tayshia even said on our podcast a few weeks ago that she single now. So I think it’s pretty safe to say this was a fun thing for her and much more serious for JPJ, but I think we all knew it wasn’t gonna work out.

By the way are you listening to the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast? If not you totally should! I’ll put the link to subscribe here.

Blake and Kristina

Now all of Kristina’s actions make a little bit more sense to me. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why she would even consider a relationship with Blake after all of her actions this far in Paradise. I talked a little bit about that last week. So her leaving him this week makes much more sense to me. Her actions all through Paradise match with how she’s actually feeling.

And I wanted to feel bad for Blake I really did. Because I always try to see the best in people. But I couldn’t help but feel like it was all an act. And I’m not trying to say he’s a bad guy, because I definitely don’t think he is. I think he’s a very sweet person who is desperate to be liked. And he was so nervous after this whole situation, and I think maybe worried that people are going to hate him that he wants to do everything he can to make people like him. And I sympathize with that. I’m a people pleaser too. So I wish both Blake and Kristina the absolute best. Because I know they’re both good people and they both deserve love.

Who will stay together in Paradise and who will leave together?

We are almost at the end here, and I can’t wait to see who ends up leaving together to explore their relationships more and who is going to get engaged!!! So exciting! Who do you think is going to remain couples? Do you thinking the remaining couples will make it? What do you think happened with Caelynn and Dean after they left? Let’s chat!!

Outfits of the Week!

HALEY

TEAL FLORAL DRESS

KRISTINA

BLACK BANDEAU BIKINI 

DEMI

 1. YELLOW REVERSIBLE BIKINI TOP | 2. YELLOW BIKINI BOTTOM | 3. DEMI’S EARRINGS | 4. DEMI’S OUTFIT

TAYSHIA

STRIPED BLUE AND WHITE TOP

Isn’t this dress so darling?! I feel like it checks all the boxes: pretty, affordable, great quality, a great length, the sleeves… the list could go on. Let me just start by saying that this gorgeous dress is less than $50! I remembered it being a great deal when I ordered it, but when I went back while writing this post and realized that it was only $49, I was happily surprised. This dress feels so much more expensive than $50! And in my opinion it looks pricier too!

FLORAL DRESS

There are so many details going on in this dress, and somehow they all work effortlessly together. There are ruffles going around all the hems of the dress, including the bottom, sleeves, and around the wrap portion. I think that this is such a lovely detail that adds sophistication to the dress. It’s a dainty ruffle! Ha! The sleeps fall to the perfect length on the arm, covering the upper arm area. One of the best parts to me is that it is a faux-wrap style, meaning that the wrap portion that you see is actually just an overlay and the dress can be slipped over your head! It takes out all of the fussy work that can sometimes come with a wrap dress, but still leaves the beautiful look!

I go into more depth about the fit and details in my blog post from Friday! Click here.

Oh, and while you’re here!

The other day I posted about some of Molly and Riley’s favorite toys. If you have kiddos you’ll wanna check it out, I think that it has some great suggestions! Even if you don’t have kids, you should go look at the photos of them from that post. Honestly it cracks me up so much! I was hysterical when I was looking through the photos! They are both obsessing over this Bounce and Spin Puppy right now, and you can definitely tell from the photos! Seriously, can’t you tell below how in love they are?! Ha!! It also comes in a unicorn version!

Both of their outfits from these photos are super affordable. Molly’s shorts and top were only $12 as a set, and Riley’s Cubs onesie came in a pack of 3 for only $20! So I dressed both my kiddos for less than $20 that day. That’s a mom win to me!

1. BOUNCE AND SPIN PUPPY | 2. UNICORN VERSION | 3. MOLLY’S $13 OUTFIT | 4. CUBBIE’S ONESIE

I also wanted to quickly add a note about kipik! It is a new subscription service for little girls clothing, and I got to partner with them to choose the pieces for the fall box! Here’s the link to the Ali’s piks box – featuring my favorites of the personalized items we received for Molly. They are just perfect for back-to-school, and I also love that they’re super transitional – everything can be layered for when cooler weather rolls in.

Also, I am so excited to share an exclusive code for your first time purchase! Use code: Aliluvskidpik to take $25 off a purchase of $50 or more. You can even combine it with the 30% off discount that is automatically applied if you keep everything from your box! So if we do that math on that, that means you get all 3 mix n match outfits including the shoes for only $70 your first order! Eeek amazing.

Head over to my blog post for a bunch more details about the service and to hear more about the pieces that we got for Molly!

Thanks so much for coming by the Bachelor in Paradise blog today! I can’t wait for tomorrow!!!

The post Bachelor in Paradise – Caelynn and Dean Forever appeared first on Ali Manno (Fedotowsky).